ADVENT CALENDAR | Wrexham AFC's Number 19s

ADVENT CALENDAR | Wrexham AFC's Number 19s

Already in place in the top flight, squad numbers were introduced into the English Football League ahead of the 1999/2000 season – making this the 20th season of Wrexham squad numbers since.

Some names and numbers will be permanently linked in Wrexham fans’ minds: “Ugarte 30”, “Edwards 7”, “Sam 23”, “Ferguson 10”… the list goes on, right up until “Carrington 13” in the current squad.

But what is the story behind each of Wrexham’s squad numbers? And who have the current crop of players got to live up to?

Number 19 – Youth graduates

Current- Vacant (Last worn by Freddie Hinds)

Freddie Hinds signed on loan from Bristol City at the start of the 2018/19 season but was unable to force his way into the Wrexham line-up during his short stay.

With seven loan players in the squad in the end, and only room for five in the match-day squad, Hinds was restricted to just a couple of appearances on the substitutes bench.

Having not made a single senior Wrexham appearance, Hinds ultimately returned early to his parent club and his number 19 jersey remains vacant.

First- Stephen Thomas

Midfielder Steve Thomas' Wrexham career was in its infancy when squad numbers were introduced in 1999.

The Hartlepool-born product of Wrexham's youth system - who would represent Wales at under-21 level - made his career debut the previous season.

Appearances continued to be limited the following year - with a League Cup game against Preston and two Division Two matches the sum total of his senior playing time.

He was perhaps not helped by the fact Wrexham failed to score in any of the first seven matches he appeared in.

Thomas wore 22 the following season but was back in 19 when he finally had his breakthrough campaign in 2001/02 – scoring four goals in 41 appearances and also being sent off for the first time in his career.

He made 29 appearances in all competition as Wrexham were promoted straight back out of Division Three the following season, and a further 43 in his final season.

He returned to the North East, to Darlington, at the end of the campaign, however, but two injury-hit seasons there were his final ones in league football.

Longest- Andrew Fleming

Thomas is one of two players to wear the number 19 jersey across four seasons, but only one player has done so in consecutive years – Andy Fleming.

Like Thomas, Fleming was an English-born product of the Wrexham youth team, and the midfielder made his debut, wearing 19, during the 2006/07 season.

Fleming’s first start was a derby draw with Chester and he established himself as a regular player under Dean Saunders in 2008/09.

Fleming represented England C in the International Challenge Trophy, and stayed a further year at the Racecourse.

But, when his contract expired at the end of the 2009/10 campaign, Fleming stepped up to the Football League to join Morecambe.

The first home player to score at Morecambe’s Globe Arena, Fleming is still with the Shrimps eight years later.

Promotion heroes/cup final kings

Steve Thomas was back in the number 19 jersey for the 2002/03 campaign, playing 25 times in Division Three and scoring two goals.

Andy Holt was Wrexham’s 19 at the LDV Vans Trophy Final in 2005, playing the full game in midfield – one of six appearances in the competition that year and 55 matches in all.

While he made his career debut in the 2012/13 season, Nick Rushton was not selected for the FA Trophy final that year and was also out on loan the following season too.